


Timeline Changes

by Aston (AstonT)



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: 707 Route Spoilers, Addiction, Alternate Universe, Gender neutral Vanderwood, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Healing, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Mental Health Issues, Mentions of past abuse, Name spoilers, Saeran is so done, agender Vanderwood, mint eye MC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-11-13 11:15:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11183976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstonT/pseuds/Aston
Summary: Saeran was always happy with Mint Eye. But now that it's someone he cares about being put in danger for some revenge? He's done.





	1. Chapter 1

"Please tell me you know how to defuse a bomb."

Well, _that_ wasn't what Saeran thought he would hear when MC answered his call.

_Bomb?_

_Was...was the Savior's security system actually a bomb?_

_Well..._ shit. 

"Don't worry, MC, I'll handle it."

He hoped his voice wasn't as shaky as his hands were as he started to work.

He also hoped the Savior didn't catch him ruining her plan.

_Some fucking plan... Who puts someone like MC in this much danger for some petty revenge?_

_Has she always been this insane?_

He stays working even as he hangs up on MC, doubling his efforts to fix his mistake. 

It took a bit, but once he'd replaced the original algorithm for the bomb, he looked around his room and started on another part of his own plan - hacking into 707's system to leave a little message for the hacker he had hated with such a passion.

He'd need some help, and he'd be damned if he lost someone he actually cared about because of his _pride_.

It was easier to hack into the system when he had something so important driving him. He was quick to add a message into the coding, then setting it so it made some sort of alarm raise to get the attention of RFA's hacker.

' _Get MC_ **out** _and meet me a few streets away from the apartment."_

He didn't know if the hacker would listen, but he was done playing this game - fuck the Savior and her paradise and her drug treatments to take away all the bad stuff. 

It was all worthless if he lost his best friend for it.

And so, he went to compiling all the information he could before he gathered things and got ready to leave - just like he was off on some mission, it didn't gain him a second glance by anyone else in this damnable organization.

* * *

The first thing Saeran saw as he sat waiting outside a cafe was bright teal hair and sunglasses and a cane. 

Saeran tensed - he knew who _that_ was, and oh, he didn't think he'd be dealing with _him._ But Saeyoung and MC were with him so he approached with meaningful steps.

He ignored the males, looking straight at MC. "I had half a mind to _kill_ the Savior when I found out her system was a fucking _bomb. Thank fuck_ you answered me and had some semblance of a self preservation instinct,"

MC held his gaze for a long moment before she relaxed. "....she doesn't know...?"

Saeran shook his head in response, then pulled a file - pretty thick, honestly - out of his jacket and held it out to V. "All the information on Mint Eye. I'm _done_. I won't stay with an organization that puts the one person I give a fuck about at risk over a petty grudge."

He ignored Saeyoung, but the redhead was staring at him in surprise.

"So you're Unknown?"

Saeran hesitated before he looked up, mint eyes locking onto honey ones.  But he didn't bother to answer that, instead firing back his own question. "And you took care of MC while she was at that apartment?"

* * *

The thing about meeting at the cafe was that they all sat down and ate while V and Saeyoung went through the files. 

Saeran caught up with MC.

"You had fun, right? It wasn't horrible, they were nice to you?"

MC smiled faintly at the concern hiding in his near bitter tone. "They were the best, Sae, it made me not want to come back,"

Saeran was quiet for a moment before he nodded. "Then it's good that both of our files are completely gone from their database," he responded. "I made sure of it before I left to meet up. If you're leaving them, you'd best bet I'm following."

V spoke up right about then. "Wasn't this a big risk for you? If Rika finds out..."

"If she tries to come near me, I can and will kill her," Saeran spat. "I'm not like you, _V,_ I don't lay down and take someone's abuse anymore, especially when I don't deserve it,"

Saeyoung gave a strange noise, looking at V in question. "V?"

V sighed, but got his phone out and frowned at it before dialing Jumin's number and getting up to walk away.

Saeyoung watched him go before looking at Saeran. "You're okay?"

Saeran went to answer, but MC spoke up before he could. "He won't be for long. You've got to help him, Seven..."

Saeyoung looked at MC in surprise before a soft smile showed up and he nodded. "I think I can do that," he responded.

* * *

When V returned, Saeran went right back to glaring a hole through him. 

V spoke without bothering to acknowledge the look. "You're going to be looked after until you can decide on your own what you want to do," he told Saeran. Then his eyes flickered to MC before he continued. "And I do hope you're going to stay with us, MC?"

MC nodded in agreement. "The RFA has become like my family, of course I want to stay!"

Saeran stared at MC in surprise before he offered a small smile - nothing like what he'd shown the males thus far, but something that MC was familiar with.

V didn't remark, just nudged food towards Saeran. "Eat," he told the boy. "I'm not sure what you've been going through with Mint Eye, but the files didn't suggest much good."

Saeran gave him a dark look, but he didn't actually argue.

The entirety of their time spent at the cafe was spent planning after that - what were they going to do, where were MC and Saeran going to stay.

They were told to stay with Saeyoung until everything settled and they found another option, because V didn't want them in RIka's apartment after he found out that Rika had had Saeran hack the bomb.

("I didn't even know it _was_ a bomb I was hacking, she didn't tell me! I fixed it as soon as MC told me and then decided on this happening, I swear!")

V accompanied MC up to get her things from the apartment before going with them to Saeyoung's.

Once they were there, Saeyoung told MC to log into the chatroom while he cleared some space out for the two of them, tell everyone else what was going on.

Saeran wound up watching over her shoulder as she talked to those in the chat - it was just Jaehee and Zen at that moment.

And boy, were they concerned about what was going on.

V had already told Jumin, he offered to them when Saeran asked about the others - he knew there were others, Rika had told him.

And MC offered up that Yoosung was likely still gaming instead of being on the chat.

Saeran settled down with that solved.

V wound up logging onto the chat as well, shortly after MC said that Jumin and Yoosung were there too.

Saeyoung offered bits of information he had gathered to tell them for him as he worked.

Saeran kept silent until MC handed her phone to him with the request that he say hi.

Saeran looked at the messages - they were all rather worried, so he typed slowly, wary of the reaction.

 MC: _hi mc handed me her phone. here_

V seemed amused and immediately set to calming everyone down as MC was handed the device back. 

* * *

That night, Saeran and MC camped out in the living room. 

Saeran lay awake after the lights were off, listening to MC's soft breathing as he stared at the darkness.

It was funny, he thought, how everything could change so fast.


	2. Chapter 2

Saeran learned the next day that life with Saeyoung was awfully strange.

V came by again, and Saeran was once again shocked by the sunglasses and cane, but he said nothing.

Instead, he looked away from the photographer to go back to watching MC answer emails for the upcoming party.

She seemed so _happy_ doing it, and her responses were witty and well thought out, and he wondered how he hadn't seen this side of her before now.

Saeyoung spoke quietly to V about what they needed to do.

MC glanced back at them when she finished answering emails and gave a calm smile. "Hello, V!" she greeted, then looked to Saeran, who immediately went to messing with his sketchbook - closed, so he just traced images into the cover with his fingers to avoid meeting her eyes.

V smiled softly at this. "Sleep well, MC, Saeran?"

MC grinned in answer, but didn't actually respond. Her eyes were glued to Saeran, waiting on him to respond to something.

And he did, but it was just to get upset. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Because you haven't said a word all morning?" MC offered calmly.

Saeran scoffed at that, but bit his tongue to keep from snapping at her.

V seemed to take it as a hint to leave the room.

* * *

The few days they had left leading up to the party were a blur of planning and talking with people.

Yoosung showed up two days before, and stood in the doorway, staring at Saeran and MC as they sat talking quietly about some movie they'd just finished watching.

Saeyoung grinned at Yoosung. "Ah, Yoosung!"

MC fell silent, glancing over at the blond in surprise.

Saeran glanced over too, but he didn't look amused.

"I see you've met Saeran and MC!"

And back to staring.

Saeran shifted, uncomfortable, after a short moment. He nudged MC's arm gently and gave her a questioning look when she looked to him.

MC just gave him a soft smile and stood up, moving towards Yoosung. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Yoosung," she offered softly.

That broke him out of it and Yoosung turned to Saeyoung. "Seven, why are they here?"

And boy, if Saeran wasn't confused before, he certainly was now.

It took the better part of an hour to get through the story, because Yoosung was having none of it when he found out that MC had been in danger.

Saeran seemed amused, but refused to tell his end of the story.

Saeyoung nodded towards the kitchen when Yoosung looked at him in question, mouthing 'freezer' to the boy.

It confused him, but he got up and disappeared, coming back with a tub of ice cream and a spoon, which he held out to the green-eyed boy.

Saeran watched, narrow-eyed, but took the ice cream.

And then refused to shut up for the remainder of the time that Yoosung was there.

Saeyoung told him that Saeran would be at the party as he left, and made him promise not to tell the others.

* * *

The day of the party, MC was definitely a bit behind schedule. V assured them that he could get her there and sent the twins along before them.

Saeran looked around warily as he walked in beside Seven, the other boy having slung his own RFA lanyard around his neck to get him through without question.

Jaehee hadn't even looked up when Seven spoke, though, so there was no need to worry about that.

However, Saeyoung disappeared almost immediately to seek out Yoosung.

Saeran just stayed off to the edge of the room, watching as more guests showed up and just sort of stared in awe when he realized that MC had talked to all of these people at one point or another in the space of the eleven days she'd been in this mess.

And so, he didn't notice Zen walk up to him until the silver haired male spoke. "So, you're the special guest that MC, Yoosung, and Seven have been talking about?"

Saeran looked at him warily, and Zen just smiles calmly and keeps talking, keeping his tone light and even.

When MC showed up, Saeran had never been happier to see her.

She took all of the attention off him, and he would be lying if he said he didn't take that time to slip out of the room to get some fresh air.

Since the last drug therapy he'd received at Mint Eye before he left was wearing off, he could feel the anxiety so much more. He hated it.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when someone tapped his shoulder, and he spun around ready for a fight.

V just smiled calmly and held out a phone, headphones attached and wrapped around the actual device.

Saeran gave him a strange look before he spoke. "What's that?"

"An apology for not saving you," V offered softly, keeping the gift extended. "And a thank you for saving us, MC included."

Saeran hesitated before he took the phone, turning it on to see the RFA app installed and music already put onto it.

"...don't thank me," he said quietly as he stared at it.

V didn't argue with him, and stayed there with him until he was ready to return to the party.

* * *

The party was something amazing to Saeran. He was introduced to the RFA members - those he'd been trying so hard to destroy - and they all treated him so kindly.

Well, for the most part.

Jumin didn't seem pleased about him being there when he heard the story.

And so, V spoke up from his place next to Saeyoung, offering his support to Saeran, and Jumin immediately tilted his head in acceptance and lightened up.

It surprised Saeran something awful that this man would do that for him, but it was far from the first moment like that.

V just gave him a kind smile, as if he understood what was going through his mind at that point.

Saeran was just glad that people didn't try to approach him and talk to him like they did the RFA members - MC included. He wouldn't have been able to handle that.

He spent about half of the party with earbuds in listening to his own music and just watching.

He pretended not to see the calm smile V gave when Jumin pointed it out to him.


	3. Chapter 3

The following day, Saeran is drug out again to Jumin's.

An after-party was the reason that Saeyoung and MC gave him for it.

Saeran was just glad he'd thought to grab things to keep him occupied.

Not that it mattered - his sketchbook and phone wound up being left in Saeyoung's car as he was drug into the building.

* * *

V was the last to show up, carrying a couple boxes. 

MC immediately stood and took the boxes from him, letting him find his way to a seat while she settled the boxes on the floor.

"What's this about...?" Jaehee asked curiously from around her cup of coffee, eying the boxes warily.

V smiled faintly. "MC was kind enough to help me go through old pictures to bring - I figured it would be nice to share memories with her and Saeran, after all."

Jumin made a surprised noise, but smiled faintly anyway - just a quirk of his lips as he settled down.

* * *

They're about halfway through one of the boxes when Vanderwood shows up, their expression far from amused as he held a taped piece of paper up. 

Saeyoung grinned at them. "Knew you'd find your way! I swear I'll do my work after this!"

And thus began introductions - Jaehee just sighed and ignored the fact that Saeyoung had played them all again.

MC - who had met Vanderwood once already - just smiled softly in greeting and shifted over to pat the empty space she had left. "Come sit, we're looking at V's pictures!"

And so, Vanderwood wound up pulled into their madness - to be fair, they laughed along with some of the stories.

Saeran seemed surprised at the pictures of Rika - she looked nothing like he remembered her as, she was sweet and kind in the pictures and stories.

But the more there were, the more Saeran started to see the madness come out.

When V pulled out the last picture in the first box, Saeran was almost sad to see it - a simple, pure white rose dripped in crimson, causing it's petals to droop.

There was no story behind it - none of the others had ever seen it.

Jumin took it from his friend to look at it before flipping it over to see the date scrawled in V's neat handwriting. "This was after..."

"Yes," V said softly, and the next box was opened, but nobody moved to grab a picture.

Instead MC set V's camera down from where she had been toying with it, taking pictures of the others every now and again - she'd gotten one she really liked of them all laughing at something in one of the stories. She knew things were about to get serious.

"Once again, V, I must ask you..."

V just cut Jumin off, his voice not nearly as soft as it had been the rest of the evening. "I don't want the surgery, Jumin,"

Saeran looked at V in confusion before he reached over and snatched the sunglasses away from V's face, taking that moment to really see his eyes - sure, he knew that V had issues with his vision, but now that he was _seeing_ the murkiness marring the turquoise, he was _pissed._

But he says nothing, just stands up, lets the sunglasses drop to the floor, and walks out. 

V seemed surprised, and Jumin stared after Saeran before he looked to Saeyoung.

Saeyoung seemed concerned, but he just shook his head when he met Jumin's eyes.

Saeran came back not long after that, his sketchbook clutched to his chest, and MC let out a startled noise when he dropped it in V's lap with a sneer.

"I know you can see at least a bit, so look through it. And then I want you to tell me why you're being _so fucking stupid."_

Everyone else cleared off, then, but MC stayed close just in case as Saeran plopped down beside V and watched him go through the drawings. 

And so, she heard when he started telling V the stories behind the drawings, how he felt when he drew them.

Stuff he never showed or told anyone.

It didn't take long - pretty early into the sketchbook was a drawing of Rika.

V was left in silence as he stared at the drawing. It wasn't the Rika he knew, the one he'd fallen in love with.

Saeran seemed to know how torn V was, because he spoke quietly, his voice much softer than it had been before. "...she did that to your eyes, right? I think I remember her mentioning that before." he offered. "You saw her as such an amazing person, and maybe at some point before she was, but she isn't that person anymore. So why are you torturing yourself?"

It was quiet between them for another moment and then V sighed and spoke, his voice carrying over everyone else. "Jumin?"

Jumin just pulled his phone out in response and dialed a number. "I'll make the appointment," he said, disappearing from the room for a long moment.

But he continues going through the sketchbook, letting Saeran explain it.

MC took this time to get a picture of the two of them while they both look calm, engrossed in Saeran's artwork in a way she had never seen from anyone before.

She's talking with everyone else when she hears Saeran explaining the final drawing in the book.

"...it's really dull, isn't it? Even you can tell the difference, I'm sure, it isn't vibrant like a landscape should be." Saeran offers, his voice quiet, but capturing everyone's attention effortlessly and causing the room to fall silent to listen to him talk about his work.

V looks away from the drawing to watch Saeran - he's nearly curled into himself despite his feet staying planted firmly on the floor, and Elizabeth is curled up against his leg, enjoying the gentle petting she's receiving from him - as he speaks, looking pained as he does.

"Even the times I was allowed to leave for something - a job, like getting MC to the apartment safely - the whole world seemed so dull. The vibrant colors were there, but it all seemed washed out by the grey haze that comes with Mint Eye. It was like a cage, no matter where I went,"

Silence lapses after that, and V finally sighs, breaking it.

"Well...I'll promise you something, okay? As soon as my eyes heal from surgery, I'm going to take you to one of my favorite places to take pictures, and we can discuss all this, and I'm going to show you just how bright it all is." V told him, smiling when he saw the surprise in green eyes as Saeran stared at him.

But he doesn't get a response, so he looks at MC and Saeyoung. "In fact, if the two of you want, MC, Saeyoung, I'd love it if you joined us?"

Saeyoung gave a soft smile and nodded. "I think we can arrange that," he promised.

Vanderwood holds their tongue after he gets a look at Saeran's face - hope being covered by a wariness that had no place in the expression of someone so young.

He'll definitely help get Saeyoung some time off for that outing - even if it means he gets more work because of it.


	4. Chapter 4

It wasn't long after the RFA's after party that the drugs completely wore out of Saeran's system, leaving him stuck in withdrawals.

MC hadn't expected to be woken up at dawn by a pained whimper coming from Saeran, halfway across the living room where the two of them had fallen asleep the previous night.

But as soon as she heard it, she sat bolt upright and yelled out for Saeyoung.

"Seven! Something's wrong with Saeran!"

Vanderwood was the one to stick their head into the room before sighing and moving to tend to Saeran while MC went to drag Saeyoung out of his work.

When the two came back, Vanderwood already had a cool cloth across Saeran's forehead and was fretting over the smaller boy worriedly.

"What's wrong, is he sick?" Saeyoung asked, concern clear in his voice.

Vanderwood only offered a shrug, but MC spoke.

"I...think he's going through withdrawals. They use drugs on everyone at Mint Eye to keep them complacent and easy to mold."

Saeyoung's eyes flashed and he immediately set back to work with a cold ' _I'll kill them.'_

Vanderwood watched him go before they sighed. "If it's withdrawals, we'll just have to wait it out."

MC nodded quietly, settling down nearby to help keep an eye on Saeran.

* * *

Two days later, the fever broke completely, but with that came the violent flashes. 

Vanderwood only glanced up from his own work when they heard the tell-tale sound of a gun being cocked.

Immediately upon seeing the barrel of the gun pointing at MC, who had her hands up, extended calmly with a soothing smile in place, they grabbed their taser and spoke, words quick.

"Put the damn gun down, you idiot, what the _fuck_ are you doing?!"

But Saeran didn't seem to care for this, even with the threat of being tased.

MC moved forward slowly, and Vanderwood stayed tense until her arms were around Saeran's shaking form and the gun clattered to the bunker floor.

No shot fired.

Empty.

Vanderwood stared at Saeran before sighing.

The poor fuck had known what was going to happen and had taken precautionary measures to make sure none of them got hurt.

Vanderwood looked over when he heard a sigh from the doorway to see Saeyoung there, smiling faintly at the scene as Saeran curled into the hug that MC still had him in.

He moved to grab the gun, handing it over to Vanderwood to be put up before he knelt down beside MC and ran his fingers through Saeran's hair gently. "How about you just relax, alright? We won't hurt you, just calm down and breathe for us, okay?"

He didn't wait for an answer, just offered another calm smile before he stood to return to his work.

Vanderwood watched the scene in surprise - they'd never seen Saeyoung be so calm before, and they had to admit it was a nice change.

Still, they hoped everything settled soon. They didn't think they could handle another outburst like that too soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...who's excited for the new route coming out? I know I am!  
> Which also means I'm back to writing for the fandom! (On top of my other....hundred projects for other fandoms)  
> Also! I have a new tumblr account! (mymistakewriting.tumblr.com)  
> Feel free to drop by and say hi or ask questions or even submit a request for a story or headcanons! My askbox there is always open!!!!!

It's two weeks before there's any real change in Saeran.

Vanderwood, when they're there, is always careful to keep an eye on the ex-cultist just in case they needed to intervene.

But he stayed relatively calm.

Sure, there were a few violent outbursts - any and all sharp objects were promptly hidden away after the boy pulled a kitchen knife on Seven one evening - but they tend to be smoothed over rather easily.

Once the violence fades, Vanderwood can see the pain that the boy is in and is back to taking extra care of him, trying to ease the withdrawal pains hitting him in waves.

MC does all she can to help, as well, but all of them had to admit that that wasn't much besides sitting beside him and offering her support that way unless asked to do something else.

Seven was careful to keep everyone else updated on the progress with Saeran - the chat these days had been filled with concern for the boy, more so now that they knew that he was having withdrawals from whatever mixture of drugs Mint Eye had kept him on.

It was another week before the pain had stopped enough for Saeran to function on his own.

And the first thing he did was grab clean clothes and lock himself in the bathroom for an hour to scrub his skin raw.

When he came out with a hand over his tattoo and looked to MC and Seven - both of who were sitting on the couch in the living room - MC gave him a warm smile that was tinged with a sad understanding.

"....I want to hide it..." he mumbled when Seven gave him a worried look of his own, mint eyes directed at the floor and his face set into a scowl.

Seven hummed just as Vanderwood came in, disappearing for a minute only to come back and guide Saeran into a seat by MC and setting to work, talking all the while.

Vanderwood stuck their head in for a moment in confusion before going back to tidying up a bit - they figure they may as well have an excuse to visit, after all, and they weren't about to interrupt a much needed bonding moment between the brothers.

Saeran watched and listened and Seven worked to hide the tattoo with concealer - explaining exactly how he was doing it to get the most coverage out of the makeup.

When he was done, the mark was completely gone and Saeran stared at what looked to be bare skin for a moment before he offered a small, thankful smile to his brother for the effort.

None of them said anything about it, instead just settling into their own business - Seven returning to work on Vanderwood's orders (" _I am done fielding questions and demands for you, 07, he's better so get back to work!")_ and MC and Saeran both logging into the chat to talk with the other RFA members out of lack of anything interesting to do.

Of course, MC called out a bit later, interrupting Seven's work. "Seven? They're going to make Sae an official RFA member!"

"Really? _Sweet!"_ Seven responded, and within the next moment he appeared in the chatroom and was talking happily with everyone else.

They noticed when Vanderwood took over manning the conversation in the chat for Seven because he was meant to be _working, damn it 07_ , but said nothing about it.


End file.
